2009 NBA Basketball Playoffs Round Two Match-ups and Predictions

The first round of the NBA Basketball Playoffs are finished and 8 teams remain from the starting field of 16. The first two teams to advance were the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers, the two favorites who many are predicting will meet in the finals. Here are the match-ups for round two and my predictions:

#1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #4 seed Atlanta Hawks - The Cleveland Cavaliers are a much improved team from the last time they were in the playoffs and will be the hardest team to beat. That was evident as the Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons in four games. Every win against the Pistons was a double-digit win. Good news for the Atlanta Hawks is that they beat the Miami Heat in seven games and advanced to the second round series. Bad news for the Hawks is they have to face the best team in basketball, the Cavaliers in the second round. Lebron James is the best player in the NBA and has a good supporting cast in Ben Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Wally Szczerbiak. The Cavaliers will enter the third round of the playoffs without a loss. Cleveland Cavaliers win series 4-0.

#2 seed Denver Nuggets vs. #6 seed Dallas Mavericks - The Denver Nuggets are beginning to hit their stride as they beat Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets in five games including a record 58-point win in Game 4. The Dallas Mavericks seem to finally be healthy as a team as they pulled off the biggest upset in the playoffs so far beating the San Antonio Spurs, also in five games. The Nuggets won the regular season series against the Mavericks 4 games to 0 but the Mavericks weren't playing with all their starters. This will be the most competitive series in the second round and could go either way. Dallas Mavericks win series 4-3.

#1 seed Los Angeles Lakers vs. #5 seed Houston Rockets - Houston Rockets have finally won a first-round playoff series. The Rockets beat the Portland Trailblazers, who were just happy to be back in the playoffs, in six games. The Los Angeles Lakers showed why they are the #1 seed in the Western Conference by beating the Utah Jazz in five games. The Lakers will be too much for the Rockets who lost Dikembe Mutombo to a knee injury. The Rockets are also playing without their best player Tracy McGrady, who got injured in the regular season. The Lakers seem to be clicking on all cylinders as they have Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, Trevor Ariza, and Andrew Bynum returned to the lineup recently. This series won't last long. Los Angeles Lakers win series 4-1.

#2 seed Boston Celtics vs. #3 seed Orlando Magic - The Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls played the series for the ages and one that won't soon be forgotten. The Celtics survived 4 OT games and 7 OT periods, beating the Bulls in seven games. The Orlando Magic had an easier series than the Celtics, beating the Philadelphia 76ers in six games, even without Dwight Howard in Game Six. The Boston Celtics struggled at times against a .500 team in the Bulls before Ray Allen and Paul Pierce took the team on their backs. The Magic squandered big leads in their first round series but held on to win it. The Celtics are without their best player, Kevin Garnett, who is out for the entire playoffs. That might be their ultimate downfall. We might be in for an upset here. Orland Magic win series 4-2.